Fallout Equestria: Passing By
by Vinylshadow
Summary: While taking a break, Littlepip and co. meet a strange face.


All rights to their respective owners, I am sorry for butchering Calamity's speech, enjoy

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"I'll be right back!" I called over my shoulder as I trotted out of sight of my friends. "Nature calls." Poking around, I found a relatively secluded area in which to relieve myself. As I was however, my E.F.S pinged as it picked up an entity. Without a second thought, I jumped into the ditch I had just peed in and checked the again. The signal indicated a non-hostile, but in the Wasteland, that didn't mean much. Wiggling my rump, I crouched low and peered out from my impromptu hiding spot.

"Really, Littlepip?" chided a gentle voice. A buck, by the sound of it. I got a horrible feeling of familiarity and I poked my head out. Surely it couldn't be…no, it wasn't Red Eye. The buck was a young black….Pegasus? "Who are you?" I called out, hoping my friends could hear me. His eyes flicked in the direction of where my friends were and he shook his head. I was surprised to see him unarmed. Then again, neither was I. What really struck me as odd though, was the fact, other than a pair of saddlebags over his flanks, he wasn't wearing any kind of armor; or any type of clothing or protection, really, save for…a PipBuck on his left forehoof.. "Why don't you have any armor?" I asked warily. He looked surprised for a moment then tilted his head. "I've never had need for it" He replied. "However, I do like companionship and a meal; will you allow me to join you for a while?" He asked. I looked him over warily and nodded slowly. "Might as well introduce you to the others." I said, turning. I felt his eyes on me and a pleasant ripple moved over my body. I looked back at him, curious and saw an amused smile on his lips.

The rest of my companions reacted to the stranger in varying degrees of warmth. Calamity looked torn between wanting to know what a Pegasus was doing below the clouds and killing him. Velvet Remedy was already asking about his health and if he needed anything, to which he politely declined. SteelHooves didn't say anything but I had a feeling he was closely watching the newcomer with guarded curiosity. Xenith, however, surprised everyone by lashing out at the Pegasus when he walked by her. To our shock though, he absorbed her blow with his wing and in a flash, had her pinned in a harmless move. Even Xenith looked shock that she had been subdued so easily. "Do you promise not to attack me again?" He asked her kindly. "I really didn't come here for violence." The air seemed to crackle with tension. "Xenith?" I called to her. Her eyes flicked to me, then to the buck Pegasus holding her. "Very well." She said. The dark Pegasus let go of her and Xenith immediately started to stroke and rub at her fur, as if wiping something nasty off. I remembered she didn't like being touched and I saw a shadow of dark pain flash across the stranger's face before being replaced with a look of sympathy.

The Pegasus' name turned out to be Midnight Runner, out of Stable 13. When I asked him where it was, he shrugged and said he didn't know, which made Calamity snort in disbelief. "Why did you leave your Stable?" Velvet asked. "It was very poorly designed and did nothing to hold back the ravages of this…" He gestured at the land around us. "Hellhole" He said. "So almost as soon as the door closed, we re-opened it and braved the lands." I frowned, then my eyes went wide. "But…that was hundreds of years ago! Why aren't you…?"

"Dead? Dust beneath the earth? A Ghoul?" Midnight asked, his voice sad. "I was a test subject for something to make the Pegasi stronger, to give us an edge over the zebras." Calamity fidgeted with his food. "For what?" He broke in. "Way ah see eht, you're no dif'rent than the Alicorns." Midnight looked at him thoughtfully. "You seem to know a lot of things you shouldn't, young one." He shook his head. "What they gave me was…perfect. Beyond giving me endurance, stamina and strength, it's also apparently stopped me from aging." There was a note of bitterness in his voice. He shifted and Velvet gasped, almost dropping her food. Calamity was instantly by her side. "What is it, what happened?" He snapped. Velvet simply shook her head and pointed a shaking hoof at Midnight's now-exposed flank. It was completely blank. "For truth, it's a fine flank, yet also, it appears to be blank." Xenith recited, seeming entranced by the blankness of Midnight's flanks. Midnight sighed. "Yeah, I never got a cutie mark, even when my friends had gotten theirs. Even when I joined up for the augmentations, I didn't have it." Velvet looked at him with something akin to horror. "So you're a super-strong immortal pegasus wandering the Wastelands alone?" I asked, my curiosity perking up. I could feel my eyes gleaming. "Tell." I said. Midnight stared at me. ""Tell you what?" He asked. I noticed he had the body and face of a mare, yet was clearly a buck by his voice and mannerisms. "Ah'd watch out if ah was you." Calamity said, leaning over to Midnight. "When she gets silent, it usually means she's thinking impure thoughts about yah." I felt my cheeks flare up, only to warm more as Velvet chimed in "Her stable door doesn't swing that way though, I think he's safe."

"He's got the body and posture of a mare, wouldn't surprise me if'n she tried som'thin on 'im." Calamity said with a grin at me. I wanted to buck him to the moon. "So, what brings you here?" Steelhooves' deep voice brought us all back to attention and Midnight chewed on the food thoughtfully. "Not really sure, just making my way across the Wastelands, helping where I can." He added with a shrug. "Most ponies don't seem to care too much about Pegasi though, so it's not easy. I get by though."

"Well, sealing away the sun and seemingly ignoring what's happening down here might tend to make someponies hate you." I said. Midnight tilted his head, his neat red and white swaying gently as he studied me. "Fair enough." He said quietly. "Now, it is getting late, I assume you're going to be taking shifts keeping watch?" With a resigned sigh he added. "I'll be sleeping well away from you, you have nothing to fear from me….unless, perhaps, you were to watch over my packs?" He asked. I eyed his packs and I could swear Calamity was drooling to go through them.

Midnight Runner opened his packs and drew out six objects. I felt my eyes widen and my jaw drop. "The Ministry Mares…" The six figures were all he had, along with staggering amount of bottle caps. I couldn't tear my gaze from the six figures. As far as I had known, only I had a complete set. I felt a little saddened by the revelation that I was not. "I found these in my wanderings, in the unlikeliest of places…yet at the same time, they seemed fitting." He said as he looked over the figures. His eyes turned on me. "Can we talk alone?" He looked at my friends. "Within view of them, of course, but out of earshot." I hesitated, but found no reason to refuse. "Alright." I said, getting to my hooves. We trotted a short distance away and he turned to face me. He was barely taller than I was and yet seemed far stronger than I could ever hope to be. He radiated a calming aura, one that made you feel safe, that no matter what happened, you would get through the day safely. Somehow, I knew we would be safe this night.

"Littlepip, you've been finding memory orbs everywhere you go, right?" He began. I nodded and he continued. "The ponies, and other creatures, whose memories you've shared have nothing to do with you or your destiny, yet still you look." He gazed at me with those old, yet young, eyes. "Why?"

I licked my lips, finding them dry before I answered. "Well…part of it is, what my friends call, a fatal curiosity. I can't stand not knowing. And after I had found some of the Ministry Mares' memories, I started to want to know more about them." Why was I telling him this? I had no reason to tell him why. Yet he seemed sympathetic and could relate. "The more you know, the better off you'll be in situations where those memories, no matter how insignificant they may seem, may very well save your life, or that of your friends, or any other pony, or zebra." He added the last as he suddenly lunged with deceptive ease to grab…the air? I frowned and then I heard Xenith's voice snarl out. "Don't touch me!" Midnight let go of the air and sighed. "Really, why are you sneaking around eavesdropping on private matters?" He scolded her. There was a ripple in the air and she appeared, a scowl on her face. I remember the memory of Rarity knowing there was a cloaked zebra in her room as well. I had to wonder…

He watched the zebra mare leave and shook his head. "Poor girl, she's had it rough." He said softly. "I could feel the pain she has endured, I only wish I could take it away." He said sadly. I looked at him, wanting to know something. "How did you know she was there?" He smiled. "I noticed a zebra shaped patch of empty air. They may not be visible to the naked eye, but they still give off a presence if you know what to look for." I blinked. Rarity had known the zebra was in her room because she could sense the magic brooch. Midnight just seemed able to sense them by the affects the cloaked zebra had on the surrounding environment.

Midnight looked around and I sensed he had noticed something. "Spike, you can come out now, or…'Watcher', was it?" He called out softly. Soon a parasprite bot hovered into view. It wasn't making the usual noises and the voice that came through it was familiar. "Hello again, Midnight, I see you've found the Stable Dweller." He seemed rather nervous, though I couldn't understand why. "Relax, Spike, as you can no doubt 'see', we didn't meet violently, and neither of us are hurt for a change." "Ah, yes, I remember when I found you, I do believe you were little more than a talking head at that point." My stomach rolled over at that mental image of Midnight's head chatting with the bot and I shook my head. "Glad to see you've made a full recovery." Watcher concluded. "Yes, being immortal tends to have its own fair share of benefits, yet one has to wonder if the drawbacks are worth it, but this is not the time to talk of such things." He said. "Unfortunately, I'll be heading on my way tomorrow, I wish you luck on whatever quest you've currently gotten lost on and wish you safe travels." I nodded, part of me, knowing deep down we'd probably never meet again, which didn't disturb me as much as it should have.

As Midnight passed by me, he paused, then leaned over and murmured in my ear. "Homage sends 31 hugs and kisses for you. She was a little more detailed as to where those hugs and kisses were placed, but I'm sure you can figure out what she meant better than I could." And then he was gone.


End file.
